garder une poire pour la soif

ByFast French

The French phrase “garder une poire pour la soif” means “to keep a pear for thirst” in English. It is a saying used to talk about saving something for the future.

Long ago, people used to carry a pear with them when they traveled or faced uncertain times. The pear was chosen because it could provide moisture and help with thirst. By keeping a pear for later, people made sure they had something to rely on if they became thirsty.

When someone says they are “garder une poire pour la soif,” they mean they are saving or setting aside something for when they might need it later. It’s about being prepared and thinking ahead. It could mean saving money, gathering resources, or making arrangements to avoid difficulties in the future.

This expression dates from the end of the 16th century and was first cited by Antoine Oudin in 1640.

In English, we have a similar saying: “to save something for a rainy day.” This means to keep something aside for when you might need it in the future. It’s about being prepared and thinking ahead, just like “garder une poire pour la soif” in French.

Don’t miss new articles!

Get 1 email a week with new articles about French

We don’t spam! Read more in our privacy policy

Similar Posts

  • mettre les pouces

    ByFast French

    “Mettre les pouces” is a French idiom that literally means “to put the thumbs.” What it really means is to stop resisting, to give in, to admit defeat or to abandon something. It dates from the end of the 18th century. In that same era, a similar expression “coucher les pouces” (to put the thumbs to…

  • détendre

    ByFast French

    The French Verb “Détendre”: Unraveling Layers of Relaxation The French verb “détendre” means “to relax,” “to loosen,” “to untighten,” “to release” or even “to entertain.” It also has a reflexive version, “se détendre,” which also means “to relax” or “to slacken.” Etymology:“Détendre” comes from the Latin words, “de” (down from) and “tendere” (to stretch). Usage:…

  • “-tie” pronunciation

    ByFast French

    French words like “démocratie,” “acrobatie,” “aristocratie,” or “patienter” all contain the letter combination “tie.” How are words like these pronounced in French? What about words like “amnistie” or “dynastie”? The “tie” letter combination in French can either be pronounced as “SEE” or as “TEE.” How do you know which pronunciation to use? The easiest way…

  • être en train de

    ByFast French

    In French, there is no direct equivalent to the English present continuous (“I am eating”) or past continuous (“I was eating”). Instead, French speakers use the construction “être en train de” + infinitive to emphasize that an action is (or was) in progress. This guide will cover how to use it in both the present…

  • Colours

    ByFast French

    Colours in French are adjectives. They are placed after the noun they describe. So a blue sky is “un ciel bleu.” They must also agree in number and gender with the noun they describe. So “purple flowers” would be “des fleurs violettes.” Colour Masculine Feminine black noir noire white blanc blanche red rouge rouge blue…